Family Visa

Spouse / Partner Visas

What is a Spouse / Partner Visa in UK?

The UK spouse visa (commonly known as partner visa) allows non-British nationals to join their British or settled partner to live and work in the UK. If you are a husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner (living together for at least 2 years), fiancé(e), or proposed civil partnership (will marry or enter a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving at the UK), you can apply under this family visa category. 

Who can apply? 

  • You must meet the following eligibility requirements for a UK spouse or partner visa for a successful application:      
  • You must both be 18 years old or over at the time of application

Your partner must either be:-

  • a British citizen
  • a UK settled person (such as with an ILR) or with a pre-settled status and have been living in the UK before 1st January 2021
  • a Turkish Businessperson or with a Turkish Worker visa
  • a refugee status or with a humanitarian protection in the UK
  • You are married or in a civil partnership recognised by the UK
  • You have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years with proof of cohabitation 
  • You are engaged and hold a fiancé(e) visa with the intention of getting married within 6 months of being in the UK
  • You have met your partner and can demonstrate that you are in a genuine and subsisting relationship 
  • You intend to live in the UK permanently with your partner and have proof of adequate accommodation 
  • You or your sponsor meet the minimum income threshold and financial requirement. Currently, the minimum is £18,600 per year for one family member joining and increases if you have non-British children applying at the same time
  • You satisfy the English language requirement
  • You may be required to provide a Tuberculosis (TB) test if applicable

Parent visa

You may be eligible for a Parent visa to care for your child living in the UK if your child is under 18 years old on the date you apply, does not live an independent life or must have been under 18 years old when you were first granted leave. Your child must be living in the UK and one of the following must apply to the child:

  • A British or Irish citizen 
  • Have settlement in the UK (indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence)
  • An EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein national and have pre-settled status (must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021)
  • If applying in the UK, the child must have lived in the UK for 7 years continuously and it would not be reasonable for the child to leave.

Child Dependent Visa

A Child dependent visa permits the child to join and stay with their parent(s) who is already in the UK and may have settled or holds a British citizenship. A child is someone under the age of 18 at the time of application and a successful application will enable the child to live in the UK on a long-term basis. This visa  will also allow the child to have access to NHS and state school provision. 

An application for this visa may be relatively straightforward if both parents are in the UK or will be in the UK. However, if only one parent in the UK is making the application, it may be more complex, where the issue of ‘sole responsibility’ will arise and high evidential requirements are expected. The requirement for this visa varies depending on the circumstances. Generally a family relationship between the parent and the child must be proved alongsideappropriate financial and accommodation provisions. British citizen parent(s) by birth – you do not need to apply for this visa for your child. You can simply apply for British citizenship. British citizen parent(s) by descent – your child has no automatic claim to British citizenship but may be possible through entitlement under section 3(2) or 3(5) under the British Nationality Act 1981 for registration. Please contact us for further guidance.

Key Contact:

Steph Revelle

Director

Steph Revelle

Hi everyone, and welcome. I’m the Founder and Director of Your Immigration Solutions. Whether you’re an individual or a corporate company, I’m here to help you with your entire visa application process.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Spouse/ Partner Visa financial requirements? Cross Icon

In order for the applicant to have a successful entry clearance or leave to remain application, you and your partner must be able to meet the financial requirement without recourse to public funds. You and your partner must earn a combined gross income of £29,000. If you have dependent children (within the family)in the application, this amount does not vary.

The financial requirement can be met through several sources, including a combination of the following:-

  • Employment (salaried or self-employment)
  • Savings (over £16,000 )
  • Pension
  • Income from letting
  • Money from stocks and shares

What are the supporting documents for Spouse or Partner visa? Cross Icon

To successfully obtain a family visa as a partner or spouse, UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) expects to be provided with the following documents (this list is not exhaustive): –

  • A valid passport or other travel documents (applicant and British sponsor)
  • A marriage or civil partnership certificate or proof of living together for at least 2 years in a relationship
  • A divorce certificate (if applicable)
  • Evidence that the relationship is genuine and subsisting, such as evidence of family life (for example, photos and trips taken together, call and chat logs, shared bank accounts) 
  • English language test certificate at the required level (A1, A2 or B1)
  • Evidence of meeting financial income (for example, bank statements, payslips) 
  • Proof of accommodation requirement (for example, tenancy agreement or mortgage statement, land registry title deed)
  • Details of any children applying shown as dependent on the application such as passport, birth certificate.

What is the English language requirement for UK Spouse / Partner Visa? Cross Icon

 To obtain a Spouse or Partner Visa, it is essential for the applicants to demonstrate to the Home Office that they meet the English language requirements, in Speaking and Listening. The level of English language test at which to sit for depends on the type of  visa application. 

To demonstrate the proficiency level, the applicants must show either: –

  • An approved English language test to the required level (A1, A2, B1 depending on your circumstances).
  • An academic qualification which is either a bachelor’s degree or higher from a recognised institution in the UK, or if awarded outside the UK, a confirmation from UK NARIC that degree was taught or researched in English.
  • A national of a majority English speaking country. 

What is the Spouse / Partner Visa accommodation requirements? Cross Icon

You will normally need to meet the adequate accommodation requirement for yourself and your partner (including any dependents). To meet this requirement, you need to ensure that the property is not overcrowded and comply with UK living standards. 

You need to provide evidence (title deed, tenancy agreement, no objection accommodation letter) that the property has sufficient room(s) and the accommodation can be:-

  • An ownership
  • A rental 
  • Staying with family members (rent free)

What happens if my UK Spouse or Partner Visa is accepted or rejected? Cross Icon

Lack of preparation and experience, coupled with factual inaccuracies, will unfortunately lead to an application under this category being refused. The possible options available are:-

  • An appeal (if being offered)
  • An Administrative Review
  • Submission of a fresh application 

The most common grounds for refusals include an economic situation where financial  obligations are not fully met, failing to meet the genuine relationship requirement, inability to provide the required English language criterion and several others.

What is the processing timeline for the Spouse or Partner Visa? Cross Icon

A Spouse or Partner’s entry clearance or leave to enter application made outside the UK could take around 12 weeks to be processed. Application made inside the UK for leave to remain (renewal or extension visa) is around 8 weeks for a standard service. 

Priority service to expedite the process may be available when you submit the application for an extra fee.

The processing timeline starts when you have attended the biometric appointment in person, even when it is an online submission. This rule applies when you apply from inside or outside the UK.

What is the validity of a Spouse or Partner Visa? Cross Icon

An application made outside the UK for a Spouse or Partner visa is initially granted for 33 months (entry clearance). For application within the UK (leave to remain), 30 months visa will be granted. 

Can I extend or renew my Spouse or Partner Visa? Cross Icon

 If you are still married and residing in the UK with your spouse or partner, you can extend or renew your visa for a further 30 months in a further leave to remain application, which will bring your total time in the UK on this category visa to five years. Once you have fulfilled your five years, and still meeting the stipulated requirements, you may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

Can I switch to a Spouse or Partner Visa? Cross Icon

There is a possibility to switch into a Spouse or Partner category visa so as long as you do not hold a Visitor visa or leave granted for 6 months or less (an exception to this case is Fiancé(e) visas where the intention is to marry and then switch to a Spouse visa within the granted 6 months duration). 

What is the Spouse or Partner Visa cost? Cross Icon

The visa application fees vary depending on whether you are applying from inside (£1048) or outside the UK (£1846). This fee will increase if you have dependents joining you on the application and the Home Office reviews its fees annually. Other associated costs to bear in mind include the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fee and priority service fee if opting for this service.